Which update killed sound in virtualbox-bin? [SOLVED]

overkll · Last edited by overkll on Sat May 09, 2009 3:50 pm; edited 1 time in total

OK, this is really bugging me!

Since around Feb 12 or 15, sound stopped working in virtualbox-bin. I'm thinking it had to be a recent update, but I can't figure out which update. I never had this problem before. Sound on the host is just fine.

The error message from virtualbox-bin (windows-xp guest):

chh · Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 2:22 pm Post subject:

Hi,

I got the same error. I do not see which of the updates I did since the last run of virtualbox should have influenced sound (some updates for world including a stepup to xorg-server 1.5)
Tried updating to Virtualbox 1.2.4, no change through that.

Here is my install list since last run:

overkll · Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 4:43 pm Post subject:

Thanks for your input. At least I'm not the only one.

I forgot to mention that in addition to qt4*, consolekit, and libsdl, I also tried rolling back the hal upgrade as well, but that also didn't help.

overkll · Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 12:21 am Post subject:

szczerb · Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 4:52 pm Post subject:

I seem to have the same problem (I haven't used VB for some time so it's probably what you guys have).

Any know fix?

overkll · Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 9:26 pm Post subject:

This is driving me nuts!, so I did some more digging.

My /etc/modprobe.d/alsa file has a modification date of 2/15/2009 @ 11:42 am. I remember that it came up in an etc-update run, and I was puzzled since it wasn't triggered by any alsa related package. So I checked my other machines, and sure enough, the same file was also modified on 2/15/09. So, some other package triggered the modification, but when I look at 'genlop -l | grep "Feb 15"', the time falls between two different 'emerge world -uDN' sessions:

szczerb · Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 9:32 pm Post subject:

I doubt it's the modprobe.d thing as I have alsa compiled-in. I just updated all alsa packages to ~arch and will do a restart just to have it all nicely reloaded...

BTW I was using VB-bin-2.0.6 and now I'm using 2.1.4

overkll · Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 9:39 pm Post subject:

I don't think the modification of /etc/modprobe.d/alsa is causing the issue, but maybe the pkg that triggered the update is. Can you check time and date on your machine of /etc/modprobe.d/alsa and compare it to your updates?

BTW, I'm using the kernel modules, not the alsa pkg. Kernel is gentoo-sources-2.6.28-r2. Alsa version from that kernel is 1.0.18rc3.

It's as if VB doesn't have permission to access the alsa devices or it can't find them.

EDIT: DOH, you shouldn't even have that file if it's compiled in.

szczerb · Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 10:42 pm Post subject:

I just upgraded alsa-utils (along with alsa-lib and alsa-headers) so it has todays date - sorry. The OSS workaround is at least something but then I can't use any other sound source until I shut down the virtual machine...

BTW I'm using the same kernel

Those are my merges from about the time you mentioned:

gr0x0rd · Guru Joined: 12 Aug 2006 Posts: 311

Not sure if this will be any help, but I recently pooched and rebuilt my gentoo system... the only change from my previous config (other than a new kernel) was adding the amd64 USE flag to my make.conf. Same hardware, same vdis, same vbox version... no sound. The fact that szczerb is running 2.1.4 and the issue persists is not a good sign. I'm running 2.6.27-r8.
_________________
~g
emerge -FML...

overkll · Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 4:38 am Post subject:

I'm 99% positive it has nothing to do with virtualbox. I didn't even upgrade VB. One day the sound is fine as usual, then after an emerge update, it's dead. Just need to find the culprit.

overkll · Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 4:21 pm Post subject:

Well, virtualbox-bin-2.1.4 hit portage today. I upgraded and the issue remains. Something is preventing VB from accessing the alsa devices. I even tried manually setting all the sound device permissions to rwxrwxrwx and still no go. @#$%^%&*!!!!

magowiz · Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 5:49 pm Post subject:

same issue here on amd64 with virtualbox-bin-2.1.4

szczerb · Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 10:50 pm Post subject:

figueroa · Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2009 4:22 am Post subject:

I think I got this tip from the VirtualBox log. Anyway, I don't know the culprit, but if you change your sound setting for the VirtualBox WindowsXP guest to Pulse Audio your sound should work fine. At least that was my experience.
_________________
Andy Figueroa
hp pavilion hpe h8-1260t/2AB5; spinning rust x3
i7-2600 @ 3.40GHz; 16 gb; Radeon HD 7570
amd64/23.0/split-usr/desktop (stable), OpenRC, -systemd -pulseaudio -uefi

szczerb · Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2009 10:05 am Post subject:

I don't use PulseAudio and I'm really not happy about VB forceing me to use it...I'll wait for a real solution of the VB-alsa problem, but thanks ;]

cyrre · n00b Joined: 02 Jul 2007 Posts: 26

I'm experiencing same issues. Sound disappeared when I was running VirtualBox 2.0.6 and I have no idea what caused it.
I recently upgraded to VB 2.1.4 but the issue remains. Sound is working perfectly in all other applications. :evil:

I'm using VirtualBox-bin on amd64.

figueroa · Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2009 1:36 pm Post subject:

I don't believe you can blame VirtualBox. I was and am still running virtualbox-bin-1.6.6.

I'm not sure there is a downside to running pulse audio. It seems to be very suitable and well behaved.
_________________
Andy Figueroa
hp pavilion hpe h8-1260t/2AB5; spinning rust x3
i7-2600 @ 3.40GHz; 16 gb; Radeon HD 7570
amd64/23.0/split-usr/desktop (stable), OpenRC, -systemd -pulseaudio -uefi

szczerb · Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 1:40 am Post subject:

figueroa · Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 3:51 am Post subject:

There might be some misunderstanding. You don't have to install media-sound/pulseaudio. See:

cyrre · n00b Joined: 02 Jul 2007 Posts: 26

Pulseaudio only works for me if no other application using sound is running.

If I start a VM with Pulseaudio, I can't have any sound in my other applications.

joefish · Guru Joined: 27 Jan 2004 Posts: 316 Location: New Zealand

I also have this problem. Running virtualbox-bin-1.6.6, but in my case on a new install. (Worked fine with sound on my old install). Selecting pulseaudio (or any other option) does not solve the problem for me.

zach9824 · n00b Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Posts: 37

The fix for me was to actually install pulseaudio and configure it. I know this may not work for all but you can find the instructions here:

http://en.gentoo-wiki.com/wiki/PulseAudio

I have to say that I actually like the pulse sound server and I am using pulseaudio through alsa where needed, otherwise just using pulse directly.

Seems like a heavy solution but change is sometimes good.

bigsun · n00b Joined: 19 Mar 2009 Posts: 2

I have the same problem about one month,
I see the above post, and dont want to install pulseaudio, I have to turn sound off sound in my guest os.
I guess the problem has something to do with libsdl.

joefish · Guru Joined: 27 Jan 2004 Posts: 316 Location: New Zealand

I really don't want to install Pulseaudio; I don't need it for any other applications, it will only serve to complicate things beyond need.

For the record, I've tried running Virtualbox as root, just in case there was something wrong with permissions. It doesn't seem to make any difference.